Harry Hill on why he listened to his daughters when he was offered the chance to present Junior Bake Off
Harry Hill is preparing himself to utter the immortal words, ‘On Your Marks, Get Set, Bake!’ as he heads into TV’s most famous tent to host Junior Bake Off.
The series last aired three years ago on CBBC but now it’s back with a bang on C4 as 20 budding bakers aged between nine and 15 try to impress the judges – Bake Off stalwart Prue Leith and Bake Off: The Professionals host and former Bake Off contestant Liam Charles.
Here Harry Hill reveals all about stepping into the heat of the kitchen to present Junior Bake Off...
What appealed to you about hosting Junior Bake Off?
“My kids [Kitty, 22, Winifred, 21 and Frederica, 15] told me to do it. They’re big fans of the main show and these days I just run things past them! That was the reason I did Celebrity Bake Off [Harry was Star Baker last year], because they were such fans. Doing that was a lot of fun though and I really liked one of the judges – Prue!”
How would your kids rate your baking?
“I don’t think they’ve ever tasted it! But on Junior Bake Off it was great having two experts at hand in Prue and Liam. I’d often ask them things like, ‘What’s a crème diplomat?’”
What were Prue and Liam like to work with?
“They were great because they always laughed at my jokes, even on the third time of hearing! And Liam and I did a few little gags together - he’s a natural comic.”
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Did you have fun with the young bakers?
“I spent my time trying to make them laugh! And a couple really made me laugh. I was nervous though because I had to ask them about stuff I don’t know anything about and previously I’d always worked with a script. But I got a lot out of it as well. Although I am the idiot in the equation, so I played up to that!”
Was it hard when the children didn't get through to the next round?
"That was the part I didn’t like. That’s why I don’t do these sort of shows normally, it’s that thing of having to say, ‘You’re going home’. It was horrible, particularly because I didn’t have any choice about who was going home."
Finally, but most importantly, did you get to eat much cake in the tent?!
“I’m not included in the tastings - it’s a bit of a bone of contention! I’d have to stand there watching Prue and Liam working their way down ten Viennese whirls and I’d get a few scraps at the end. But there was some lovely food. I even got the recipe for Viennese whirls, but I haven’t got round to making them!”
Junior Bake Off airs every weekday from Monday 4 November at 5pm on C4
